Tin Man
(Tinder Press)
The latest novel from Sarah Winman, bestselling author of When God Was a Rabbit and A Year of Marvellous Ways, is one hell of an achievement. Shortlisted for last year’s Costa Novel of the Year prize, the book is a beautifully realised depiction of the friendship between two men and the woman in their life.
Ellis, a 46 year-old widower, works at an Oxford car plant where his job is to smooth out any bodywork imperfections as they roll offthe assembly line. As a youngster, his artistic leanings are cultivated by his mother who dies young; she also encourages his friendship with Michael, a joyous and mischievous boy, and the grandson of the local grocer. A close friendship develops between the two and, in their teenage years, they travel to France for a nine-day holiday where they come-ofage. In their 20s, the boys meet Annie, and another inseparable bond is formed, until the death of Michael’s grandmother sends him into a spiral and he departs for the anonymous streets of London.